Food seasoner apparatus

ABSTRACT

A commercial solid-particle food seasoner has a thin wall right cylinder length, each cylinder end being closed, the cylinder length and the closures cooperatively form the wall of a seasoning container. At least one seasoning filling aperture is formed in the container wall and has a detachable sealing closure. A multiplicity of seasoning-dispensing apertures are disposed in the cylinder length wall area bounded by a minor cylinder arc and the cylinder length. The seasoning container has a shaft coaxially secured to the pair of end closures and a container support shaft mount cooperatively holding the container in a superimposed horizontal position above a food preparation area. A handle secured to the shaft adapts the container to shaking and dispensing the contained seasoning.

United States Patent Allen 51 Feb. 22, 1972 [54] FOOD SEASONER APPARATUS[211 Appl. No.2 32,127

[52] U.S. Cl ..222/161, 222/169, 222/565,

107/43 [51] Int. Cl ..A47g 19/24 [58] Field of Search ..107/43, 50;222/161, 169,180,

Shuch.... Mills 8/1890 Bellamy.... .....222/565X 8/1958 Remien ..222/169Primary Eq aminer-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Thomas E. KocovskyAttorney-.1. L. Jones ABSTRACT A commercial solid-particle food seasonerhas a thin wall right cylinder length, each cylinder end being closed,the cylinder length and the closures cooperatively form the wall of aseasoning container. At least one seasoning filling aperture is formedin the container wall and has a detachable sealing closure. Amultiplicity of seasoning-dispensing apertures are disposedin thecylinder length wall area bounded by a minor cylinder arc and thecylinder length. The seasoning container has a shaft coaxially securedto the pair of end closures and a container support shaft mountcooperatively holding the container in a superimposed horizontalposition above a food preparation area. A handle secured to the shaftadapts the container to shaking and dispensing the contained seasoning.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAIENTEUFEB22 1972 3.643 838 INVENTOR W/FdKDW A 466M 1. Field of the Invention The apparatus is a seasoning deviceparticularly suitable for commercial-type seasoning operations, such assalting chickens, french fries and the like in food preparation areaswhere large volumes of food are prepared.

2. Description of the Prior Art A search of the prior seasoning art doesnot disclose pertinent apparatus. Prior art search in Class 99', 107 and222 disclose early devices related primarily to sprinkling clothes withwater prior to ironing and the like.

Elliott, in U.S. Pat. No. 429,609 teaches a cylindrical watersprinklingdevice for clothes having multiple apertures distributed completelyaround the cylinder wall. Fales, in U.S. Pat. No. 7| 1,923, teaches abluing device for clothes having multiple perforations in and around theexternal cylinder wall and a solid bluing cartridge disposed inside ofthe external perforated cylinder. The device is adapted to be immersedin water prior to sprinkling clothes. Price, in U.S. Pat. No. 979,199,teaches a water sprinkler for clothes having multiple perforations inthe entire periphery of an external cylinder wall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A commercial solid-particle food seasonerapparatus has a thin wall right circular cylinder length and cylinderend closures, all together forming the wall of a seasoning container. Atleast one seasoning filling aperture is provided in the container walland the aperture has a detachable sealing closure. A multiplicity ofseasoning-dispensing apertures are disposed in the cylinder length wallarea bounded by a minor cylinder arc and the cylinder length. Acontainer support shaft is coaxially disposed in the pair of endclosures and secured to the closures. A container support shaft mountcooperatively holds the rotative shaft, providing a mount forsuperimposing the seasoning container above a food preparation area. Ahandle secured to the rotative shaft adapts the seasoning container toshaking and dispensing the contained seasoning.

Included in the objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a simple, inexpensive seasoning apparatus useful forseasoning large quantities of food at one time.

Second, to provide a simple, inexpensive seasoning apparatuscooperatively adapted to season the automated production of largevolumes of food products prepared for direct consumption.

Third, to provide a simple, noncorrosive apparatus for continuouslycontrolling the dosage of a food seasoning applied to table-readycommercially prepared volumes of food products.

Fourth, to provide a simple inexpensive seasoning apparatus suitable forsalting large volumes of commercially prepared food products at oneinstant.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent inthe following description to be read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a perspective elevationalview of one embodiment of the food seasoner apparatus disposed in anoperative position, suitably above a food preparation area.

FIG. 2 is fragmentary perspective elevational view of a secondmodification of the food seasoner apparatus having a threaded endclosure in the seasoner container and a crank handle.

FIG. 3 is a still further fragmentary perspective elevational view ofanother embodiment of the seasoner container having a one-piece plasticseasoning container construction with a filling aperture located in thecylinder end, and a cam handle means.

FIG. 4 represents still another embodiment in a fragmentary perspectiveelevational view of a seasoner container having the filling aperturedisposed on the cylinder wall.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The perspective elevational viewin FIG. 1 of the food seasoner apparatus 1 illustrates a thin wallright. circular cylinder length 2 having a pair of end cap closures 3and 4. The seasoning container 5 consists of the cylinder length 2 andthe pair of end cap closures 3 and 4. A multiplicity ofseasoning-dispensing apertures 6 are shown disposed in rows or randomposition, as desired. The dimensional size of the apertures 6 is thatwhich is necessary to dispense the seasoning contained in the container5. Typically the apertures 6 completely penetrate and are disposed overa minor part of the cylinder wall for the desired distance along thecylinder length as required. The threaded rod shaft 7 forms thecontainer support shaft and it is disposed coaxially in the pair of endcap closures 3 and 4, extending beyond both closures, through concentricopenings in each closure. The pair of wing nuts 8 and 9 secure thesupport shaft 7 to the container 5 by compressively locking the end capclosures 3 and 4 in a conventional nut and bolt threaded means. Twocontainer support shaft mounting bracket means 10 and 11 are mountedoverhead to a support base 12 by conventional screw fasteners or thelike. The mounting shaft 7 is disposed in the opening 15 on the mountingbracket means 10 and the other end of the mounting shaft 7 is placed inthe slotted opening 16 of the mounting bracket means 11.

Conventionally the seasoning container 5 is filled with a seasoning suchas salt, sugar, pepper, or the like, by removing the container 5 fromthe support mounting means 10 and 11, removing the wing nut 8 and theone end closure 3 and filling the container with the required seasoning.After replacing the end closure 3 and the wing nut 8, the seasoningcontainer 5 is replaced in the shaft mounting means 10 and 11. In usethe freshly prepared food is disposed below the food seasoner l and theseasoner spread on the freshly prepared food by oscillating the handleknob 13, secured by the lock nut 14, to manually dispense as muchseasoning on the food as required. When seasoning is not required to bedispensed, the seasoning apertures-6 may be disposed up toward the space17, thus preventing the seasoning from falling through the dispensingapertures 6 by accidental shaking or vibrating the food seasoner.

FIG. 2 illustrates another perspective elevational and fragmentary viewof the second modification of the food seasoner apparatus having theseasoning container 21 which is shown to consist of a thin wall rightcircular cylinder length 22 having an end closure 23, and a secondpermanent end closure, not shown. The conventional mating screw thread24 of closure 23 is threaded on the underlying mating threads of thecylinder 22. A coaxially disposed bearing means 25 is permanentlysecured to the end closure 23. A crank handle means 26 is shownextending through bearing means 25. The crank handle means 26 mergesinto the shaft means 27 which extends to the other end of the seasoningcontainer 21. A securing pin 28 or other fastening means mechanicallylocks the shaft 27 and crank handle 26 to the end closure 23.

Seasoning dispensing apertures 29 are shown disposed over a minor arc ofthe wall of the metal container 22, completely penetrating the thinwall. The minor are 30 of the cylinder 22 over which the seasoningapertures 29 are disposed is typically 15 to 50 of arc on the cylinderwall and can be an arc value required to dispense the seasoning into theoperational area under the conditions of use as a seasoning apparatus.As in the food seasoner l, the seasoning dispensing apertures 29 extendthe required distance along the right circular cylinder length 22. Theseasoning container 21 cooperatively comprising the container 22, endclosure 23, shaft 27 and crank handle 26, and the like are disposed on apair of mounting brackets equivalent to the shaft mounting means 10 and11 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a still further embodiment of the seasoner containerbeing a plastic one-piece thin wall container 31, having a fillingaperture 32 closed by a removable aperture closure 33. The integrallymolded support bearing 34extends from the one-piece container 31. Asupport shaft 35 is secured by a fastener means 36 to the container 31.A cam handle means 37 is secured to the shaft 35 and a cam opening 38can be cooperatively adapted to automated machine operation in anautomated cooking production line. The seasoningdispensing apertures 39penetrating through 31 again can be random or aligned, with openingdimensions required to dispense the seasoning. Again the minor cylinderarc of the container 31 in which the seasoning-dispensing apertures 39are found is typically from to 50 of are. For convenience in filling thecontainer 31 the aperture closure 33 can be a snap fit cover over thefilling aperture 32, as is well known in present day containerconstruction.

FIG. 4 illustrates a still further embodiment of this invention in whichthe seasoning container 41 is again a one-piece thin wall molded plasticcontainer or the like, having a filling aperture 42 oppositely disposedwith respect to the seasoningdispensing apertures 43. An apertureclosure or cap 44 can have a snap fit covering the filling aperture 42.The molded bearing 45 has an opening 46 for the rotative shaft requiredin the complete food seasoner.

[t is essential for the operation of the food-seasoning apparatus thatthe components illustrated not be corroded by the seasoning contained inthe apparatus. It is typical that the thin wall cylinder lengths 2 and21 be aluminum, stainless steel or the like, or they can be made ofopaque or transparent plastic, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, andthe like. Although the containers 31 and 41 are shown to be plastic,they could likewise be made of thin wall sheet metal such as aluminum,stainless steel, tin-plated steel and the like. Screw closures are fullycooperatively equivalent for the filling apertures 32 and 42, as isconventional.

In the large-scale production of commercially prepared foods in quickservice restaurants, snack bars and the like, where rapid volumeproduction is important, it is very desirable to dispense selectedseasonings such as salt, sugar or the like in controlled dosages overlarge areas of freshly prepared foods. By controlling the shaking,vibration, or oscillation of the seasoning container 5, 21, 31 and 41,or the like, it is possible to dispense the seasoning in the desiredamounts. As illustrated in FIG. 3, it is taught that the seasoningcontainer can be secured to cam handle means which can be controlled todispense seasoning at the required continuous rate or at intervals, asautomated production requires.

Obviously many modifications can be made in this improvement in a foodseasoner apparatus. [t is therefore understood that within the scope ofthe appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than asspecifically described.

Iclaim:

1. A commercial solid particle food seasoner comprising:

a. a thin wall, right circular cylinder length,

b. a pair of end closures, each one of said end closures oppositelydisposed at one cylinder length end and sealing a cylinder end, saidpair of closures and said cylinder length cooperatively forming the wallofa seasoning container,

0. at least one filling aperture cooperatively disposed in saidcontainer wall, adapted to facilitate filling said container withseasoning,

. a detachable closure sealing said filling aperture,

e. a multiplicity of seasoning-dispensing apertures disposed through thecylinder length wall, adapted in aperture size to dispense a seasoning,said dispensing apertures cooperatively disposed in the cylinder wallarea bounded by a minor cylinder arc and said cylinder length,

. container support shaft means coaxially disposed in said pair of endclosures, and secured thereto,

g. container support shaft mounting means cooperatively adapted tosecure said shaft means in a superimposed horizontal position above afood preparation means, and

i. handle motion means secured to said container support shaft means,adapted to rotate said container, dispensing said contained seasoning.

2. In a food seasoner of claim 1, the modification wherein at least onesaid end closure is detachable from said cylinder len th. 1

. In a food seasoner of claim 2, the modification wherein at least onesaid end closure is cooperatively detachably secured to said cylinderlength by compressive container support shaft means.

1. A commercial solid particle food seasoner comprising: a. a thin wall,right circular cylinder length, b. a pair of end closures, each one ofsaid end closures oppositely disposed at one cylinder length end andsealing a cylinder end, said pair of closures and said cylinder lengthcooperatively forming the wall of a seasoning container, c. at least onefilling aperture cooperatively disposed in said container wall, adaptedto facilitate filling said container with seasoning, d. a detachableclosure sealing said filling aperture, e. a multiplicity ofseasoning-dispensing apertures disposed through the cylinder lengthwall, adapted in aperture size to dispense a seasoning, said dispensingapertures cooperatively disposed in the cylinder wall area bounded by aminor cylinder arc and said cylinder length, f. container support shaftmeans coaxially disposed in said pair of end closures, and securedthereto, g. container support shaft mounting means cooperatively adaptedto secure said shaft means in a superimposed horizontal position above afood preparation means, and i. handle motion means secured to saidcontainer support shaft means, adapted to rotate said container,dispensing said contained seasoning.
 2. In a food seasoner of claim 1,the modification wherein at least one said end closure is detachablefrom said cylinder length.
 3. In a food seasoner of claim 2, themodification wherein at least one said end closure is cooperativelydetachably secured to said cylinder length by compressive containersupport shaft means.